MODERN literary criticism in Urdu began with Altaf Hussain Hali’s Muqaddama-i-shear-o-shaeri, the first systematic critical treatise in Urdu, published in 1893. It was essentially a criticism of Urdu poetry, especially of ghazal and qaseeda. In this book, Hali did not concern himself with Urdu prose.
Earlier, tazkiras were the only mode of formal literary criticism in Urdu. Written in Persian and Urdu, tazkiras were collections of brief accounts of the lives of Urdu poets, which came with samples of their poetry and little real critical stuff of value. In those days literary skirmishes among poets and their pupils often served as a mode of criticism too, albeit an informal one. But those modes were concerned with poetry alone.
In the early 20th century, Mehdi Ifadi, Imdad Imam Asar and Waheeduddin Saleem wrote criticism, but mostly concerned with poetry. Then came Moulvi Abdul Haq and Hafiz Mahmood Sherani, but both were more researchers than critics and were more interested in classical literature rather than modern fiction.
A history of Urdu literature (1924), originally written in English by Ram Babu Saksena (also spelt Saxena), was translated into Urdu by Mirza Muhammad Askari in 1929. But Saksena followed in the footsteps of Muhammad Hussain Azad and Shibli Nomani and could not truly evaluate Urdu fiction, not to mention the misconceptions rectified by later-day researchers, such as Dr Tabassum Kashmiri. Even Hamid Hasan Qadri’s Daastaan-i-tareekh-i-Urdu (1941) hardly touched 20th century Urdu fiction, especially short stories, novellas and novels, though Qadri, a great scholar indeed, had limited this book to Urdu prose.
Though some other critics too had been writing about Urdu fiction in the first few decades of the 20th century, some of them were Romantics and others were Marxists, both laden with preconceived notions peculiar to their schools of thought. So it was left to Syed Waqar Azeem to offer an objective and balanced critical view of Urdu fiction, especially short stories and novels.
A critic, research scholar and translator, Prof Syed Waqar Azeem was born in Allahabad where his father was posted as a police officer. Waqar Azeem was born in December 1910, though officially his date of birth was recorded as Aug 15, 1910. He was first educated at home and his mother taught him to read Quran as well as Urdu and some basic Persian. Then he was admitted to Kanpur’s government school. His father had a literary bent of mind and at his home Waqar Azeem as a boy found books and magazines all over the place. Often his father’s friends, mostly poets and authors, visited the home.
This must have left indelible marks on young Waqar Azeem’s mind. But, interestingly, Waqar Azeem found himself in the company of writers and intellectuals throughout his life. For instance, at Jubilee College, Lucknow, where he was admitted to intermediate classes, among his teachers were Hamidullah Afsar Meruthi, a well-known poet, and Ali Abbas Hussaini, a well-known critic and short story writer. This only bolstered his interest in literature. Later, he took admission in Lucknow University where Masood Hasan Rizvi Adeeb, a renowned scholar, was among his teachers.
He wanted to do his MA in Urdu, but in those days Lucknow University did not offer the course, so he joined Allahabad University. There he met Dr Ejaz Hussain, yet another well-known scholar and critic. At that time a galaxy of scholars like Abdus Sattar Siddiqi and Firaq Gorakhpuri graced Allahabad University. At Allahabad mushairas would take place where top-notch poets would appear. Waqar Azeem took full advantage of that learned company.
Waqar Azeem begun writing short stories in early 1930s, but later turned to criticism and research. His critical articles began to appear in the subcontinent’s prestigious literary journals. Having done his MA in 1934, Waqar Azeem got a temporary job to teach at Allahabad University. Meanwhile, he was translating some English works and editing some periodicals. His first book Fann-i-afsana nigari appeared in 1935. Hamare afsane appeared the same year.
In 1938 he accepted an offer to teach at Delhi’s Jamia Millia, but quit to teach at Anglo-Arabic College and Poly-Technique Institute. In Delhi, he worked as editor of Aaj kal, too, but migrated to Pakistan in 1947. At Karachi, he worked as editor of Mah-i-nau. Having joined Punjab University’s Urdu department in 1950, he retired as head of department and principal.
Waqar Azeem wrote some very important books on Urdu fiction, analysing Urdu dastans, novels and short stories, paving the way for more profound research works later, some of which were carried out by his students.
He penned some 50 books, some of which are: Naya afsana (1946), Hamari dastanen (1956), Dastan se afsane tak (1959), Iqbal: shaer aur falsafi (1968), Fort William College (1986) and Urdu drama (1996). Asgher Nadeem Syed has written a comprehensive book on Waqar Azeem, which was published a couple of years ago.
Prof Syed Waqar Azeem died in Lahore on Nov 17, 1976.
Published in Dawn, November 13th, 2018
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